ADHD 'checked' by removing the tonsils

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often find their symptoms dramatically reduced after the removal of their tonsils, a new report shows.

Previous studies have established a link between sleeping problems - such as snoring and breathing interruptions called apnoeas - and daytime behaviour problems.

However, in the new study researchers examined children who were much more likely to have had behavioural problems at the start of the study and a comparison group. After having their tonsils removed, the tests showed little differences between the groups.

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"These findings help support the idea that sleep-disordered breathing is actually helping to cause behavioural problems in children, and making them sleepy," said lead author Dr Ronald Chervin from the U-M Centre for Sleep Science.

"This is one of the first studies to document, using gold-standard measures, that all of these sleep and behaviour problems tend to resolve one year after enlarged tonsils and adenoids are removed."

However, the team were keen to point out that tonsillectomy is not a "cure" for ADHD, but that the growing body of evidence suggests many children may benefit both during the night and day from the operation.

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